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All Things New in 2015; Some Kinda Good Greets the Lowcountry

Published on January 30, 2015May 12, 2016 by Rebekah5 Comments

Hey Some Kinda Good followers! 2015 is full of promise and all things new. I’m super excited to tell you about a few major changes that have happened in my life in recent months–I’ve moved from the coastal plains of Southeast Georgia to the South Carolina coast, my left hand has a shiny new friend and my career has grown LEAPS and BOUNDS after a very longtime coming. Take a look at my “news!”

My boyfriend Kurt graduated to fiance after proposing to me on Dec. 20. — We got engaged on December 20, 2014.

New Ring
1) Allow me to begin with the most exciting of all. My good lookin’ proposed over the holidays in his native Savannah at a quaint and perfect local Italian restaurant. I said YES and we couldn’t be happier! May the wedding planning commence.

New Job
2) I’ve accepted a brand new job in my absolute dream location! It’s an incredible opportunity and I’m thrilled to be back in the health care field working as the Director of Marketing & Public Relations for a wonderful hospital system in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

The view from my second floor balcony. Beware of gators!

New Home
3) I’ve relocated from Statesboro, Georgia to Charleston, South Carolina. I have to pinch myself every few seconds while walking around my two bedroom apartment (sneak peek below). I find myself saying out loud throughout the day, “I live here now. I really live here!” I love my kitchen; it has a breakfast bar and lots of cabinet space. As many of you know, Charleston is full of award-winning restaurants and celebrity chefs. It will take me a lifetime to discover all it has to offer and I will enjoy every last-minute of it, especially sharing my food finds with you! As I get to know Charleston, I welcome your favorite restaurants, coffee shops and hangouts. Have you been? What beach do you recommend? What are the top places I should check out? I haven’t met anyone yet who doesn’t love the Southern, coastal city. In other news, my final Statesboro Herald food column will run on Sunday, February 15. ‘Boro locals, there’s a special message from me to you there…don’t miss getting your copy.

Having a glass of wine and reading a good book in the open air is a welcomed way to unwind at the end of a long day.

I live only a few miles from the beach, so my bedroom reflects that!

I’ll be spending lots of time in my beautiful kitchen this year!

Ewok seems to be adjusting well to his new lifestyle. He LOVES his pet playground!

It was the famous American baseball player Babe Ruth who said, “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” It’s true what they say about perseverance, and hard work really does pay off. 😉

Pearls of Wisdom and My First Oyster Roast

Published on January 7, 2015May 12, 2016 by Rebekah1 Comment

An oyster roast is one of the most casual ways to throw a coastal party while highlighting local ingredients. — An oyster roast is one of the most casual ways to throw a coastal party while highlighting the sea’s bounty.

In my mind, coastal Georgia and everything that comes along with it–like Lowcountry boil parties and oyster roasts–is next to Jesus. With my Holiday Cheese Ball in tow, I attended my first oyster roast in Savannah recently and ate my fill of the slippery, salty mollusks. The New Year’s Eve get-together was a fantastic way to say goodbye 2014 and hello 2015, while at the same time learning a thing or two about how the locals throw a sho’ ’nuff (sure enough) shindig.

A metal sheet is placed over the outdoor fire pit, perfect for steaming the oysters.

Longtime Savannah food writer Martha Nesbit describes the scene at an oyster roast perfectly in her cookbook, Savannah Celebrations. “Singles or clusters are roasted over a sturdy piece of steel placed over a roaring fire. The oysters are covered with a burlap sack, which is hosed down; the oysters steam underneath. The oysters are ready when they pop open; the cooks have the responsibility of shoveling the oysters from the fire to the table, which is usually wooden, at least waist-high and unadorned.” I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Oysters on the half shell grilled on the Big Green Egg.

The host and cook behind these bad boys was my friend Kyle Byrd. He grilled these oysters on the half shell with garlic butter, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, fresh herbs and hot sauce on the Big Green Egg. Some Kinda Good, what you talkin’ ’bout!

During the party, we also ate steamed oysters. My favorite way to eat them was with a dab of cocktail sauce on a Saltine cracker. Take a look at how Kyle and my good lookin’ date (two good ol’ Georgia boys) prepared them in this 15 second Instagram video:

View this post on Instagram

#NewYearsEve #OysterRoast

A post shared by Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser (@skgfoodblog) on Dec 31, 2014 at 6:35pm PST

And now, for seven pearls of wisdom I came across while researching oysters:

1. Nearly two billion pounds of these mollusks are eaten every year.

2. The saying “The World is Your Oyster” comes from Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor: “The world’s mine oyster. Which I with sword will open.”

3. Eating four to six oysters a day provides a complete daily supply of copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc. Oysters are one of the most nutritionally well-balanced of foods, containing protein, carbohydrates and lipids. The National Heart and Lung Institute suggest oysters as an ideal food for inclusion in low-cholesterol diets and an excellent source of vitamins.

4. Norwegian Rune Naeri set the Guinness World Record for the most oysters eaten in 2003: He devoured 187 in three minutes.

5. The largest oysters can grow up to three feet long in shell length.

6. Depending on the location of their cultivation, there are significant differences in the flavor profiles in the oyster. East Coast oysters tend to be more briny while West Coast oysters tend to be sweeter.

7. Almost all oysters can secrete pearls, but not all are valuable. The pearl oysters come from a different family than edible oysters.

What fun facts would you add to my list?

Georgia Cocktail Meatballs Make a Perfect Party Appetizer

Published on December 9, 2014January 2, 2018 by RebekahLeave a comment

Some Kinda Good Georgia Cocktail Meatballs

Grape jelly combined with apple hickory BBQ sauce and hot pepper jelly is an unlikely combination, but when paired together with perfectly seasoned meatballs, they make the most decadent and savory bite. Continue reading “Georgia Cocktail Meatballs Make a Perfect Party Appetizer” →

Give the Gift of Food: Double-Drizzle Pecan Cookies

Published on December 9, 2014December 28, 2016 by RebekahLeave a comment

Food gifts are always welcomed gifts and each year on Christmas Eve, I like to bake something delicious to give to my friends and family. Continue reading “Give the Gift of Food: Double-Drizzle Pecan Cookies” →

Statesboro Cooks Showcases Host Rebekah Faulk’s Holiday Menu

Published on December 9, 2014January 30, 2015 by Rebekah3 Comments

I’m very excited to share with you our new episode of Statesboro Cooks, highlighting my Holiday Inspired Menu Featuring Pastured Pork Tenderloin. In the 30-minute program, I host and serve as an executive producer with my friend, Tyson Davis. If you’re in the Statesboro area, you can catch the show on local cable, Channel 99, at 7:30 p.m. 7-days-a-week throughout the holidays. If not, check it out on YouTube at the link below! I hope you’ll make these recipes, and thank you for watching.

Statesboro Cooks is a Georgia Southern University multimedia communications team production. To see the previous episode I hosted, watch here.

Holiday Cheese Ball with Sweet Heat

Published on December 9, 2014January 22, 2021 by Rebekah1 Comment

The cheese ball. What a great concept…a ball of cheese. Who wouldn’t want to eat that? Continue reading “Holiday Cheese Ball with Sweet Heat” →

A Christmastime Family Tradition at The Old Home Place

Published on December 9, 2014January 22, 2021 by RebekahLeave a comment

The meat is smoked for 8 - 10 hours in the pit. — The meat is smoked for 8 – 10 hours in the pit.

At the end of a long dirt driveway lined by 26-year-old pine trees in Middle Georgia, sits The Old Home Place, where my family has celebrated “The Cookin’” each Christmas for more than 30 years. Continue reading “A Christmastime Family Tradition at The Old Home Place” →

Inspiration for Your Christmas Table Décor

Published on December 9, 2014January 30, 2015 by RebekahLeave a comment

A well dressed table is like a well put together outfit. It makes the kitchen feel complete and invites conversation. Y’all know how I feel about Table Talk and Family Ties, and no holiday would suffice without a properly outfitted place to dine. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve seen some really over-the-top centerpieces, and just like Ina Garten says, “When people start talking about tablescapes, that makes me crazy.” My style is mindful of the budget and inspired by nature, with a few items from around the house. In this post, I’ll provide you with a few tips for creating a sophisticated and simple ambiance this holiday season, using my kitchen table as an example.

My table is square, so I used a long table runner right down the center of it. I gathered a few jars of varying heights from my cabinets, like jam and Mason jars, then staggered votive candles on either side of them down the length of the runner. Instead of purchasing flowers, which can be costly and require upkeep, I opted to trim a few stems from my holly berry plant in the yard. I divided the berries and some greenery among the jars. The berries cost me nothing, and they coordinate with my Christmas china and the table runner perfectly!

I layered some of my tree trimmings in between the candles and jars, then tucked in little red and gold ornaments to give the table that extra special touch. Pine cones or acorns would also be fun to include.

Don’t forget Santa and Mrs. Claus! My festive salt and pepper shakers make an appearance every year after Thanksgiving. “He sees you when your sleeping, he knows when you’re awake…”

These are the most important things to remember about table decor:
1) Always use unscented candles. You don’t want artificial scents competing with the food.
2) Centerpieces should be conversation friendly. Use either low centerpieces like my jars or tall, slender and clear vases that don’t obstruct conversation. There’s nothing like sitting down to a meal and not being able to see the person across from you. Awkward.
3) Leave your guests with room to breathe. If you’re dining family style, be sure to leave room for casserole and side dishes, and the main course. An overcrowded table feels cramped and stressful.

The only thing that will make this table better is good food and good company. After all, that’s what it’s all about!

How is your table decorated? What tips would you add to my list?

Happy entertaining and Merry Christmas y’all, from me and Ewok.

Timeless Food that Tastes Like Home

Published on November 9, 2014May 12, 2016 by RebekahLeave a comment

Lee’s Restaurant
Statesboro, Georgia

In a little brick building on the side of West Jones Ave. in Statesboro, Georgia sits Lee’s Restaurant, a slice of soul food heaven off the beaten path and a point of pride for those seasoned Statesborians in-the-know. In the same location since 1967, the Lee family has been satisfying hungry palates with their down home, Southern cooking for centuries, serving up what they describe as “soul food made with a lot of love and care.”

The line for lunch on a Saturday at Lee’s.

When you walk into Lee’s, you pass through the dining room to get to the buffet line. There, you wait your turn to place an order. There is no hostess stand or lobby area, but the employees greet you with kindhearted sincerity and genuine Southern hospitality. If you choose to dine in, you simply take your plate and find a seat.

Blue and white checkered flooring and an eclectic mix of tables and chairs make up the open dining room. Ceiling fans, a mix of silk and live plants and a quaint fire-place add character to the atmosphere. The chairs may have a few rips in their cushions and the tablecloths may not match, but what the restaurant lacks in decor, they more than suffice for in flavor of food.

Hot sauce, pepper sauce and mustard condiments sit on each table, along with a handy roll of paper towels.

Fried fish, fried chicken, meat loaf and liver are a few of the meat choices.

Diners may select their choice of a meat and three or a vegetable plate.

Green beans, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and corn on the cob are just a few of the side options featured on the buffet.

The buffet includes a wide variety of mouth-watering dishes, timeless food that to those of us blessed enough to be from the South, tastes like home. The sheer smell takes me back to my grandmother’s kitchen and transports me to Dinner on the Grounds during Homecoming at my Baptist church. There are pork chops, liver, neck bones, fried fish, stew beef, meat loaf, macaroni & cheese, rice and gravy, green beans with potatoes and ham-hock, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and fried okra. Dinner is served with your choice of roll or corn bread, sweet tea or lemonade. Here you won’t find a soft drink machine or even a vegan or vegetarian-friendly menu offering tofu and gluten-free options. What you see is what you get, and what you get is pure, Southern gold.

Home cooking at Lee’s Restaurant in Statesboro, Georgia.

My meat and three with a dinner roll and sweet tea hit the spot. This is the kind of meal that is indigenous to a place, the kind you long for when traveling outside the boundaries of Dixie. It is a delicacy–a plate most Northerners envy and can only aspire to duplicate. It is a flavor and taste many cooks never quite master, one that requires no culinary education, but yet a deep-rooted connection to the foodways of a land. This is a meal that should never be taken for granted. The price for this plate was $6.92 including the tea. Priceless.

Lee’s Restaurant is open for lunch Tuesday – Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. I sure love the “Go Big Blue” shout out on their outdoor sign. Any business who supports my Georgia Southern Eagles and serves up fine food such as this, is a place I’ll return to again and again. With Google reviews like “Best southern cooking around!” and “Don’t let the decor fool you,” take a little detour and see for yourself. Lee’s Restaurant is Some Kinda Good!

New to Some Kinda Good?
Thanks for stopping by! If you like this post, you may also be interested to read about a few of the other local restaurants and bakeries I’ve reviewed. As the Statesboro Herald food columnist and a Georgia Southern University alumna, the ‘Boro is a second home to me. Be sure to like Some Kinda Good on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Instagram, to keep up with all my latest, local food discoveries.